The Current Online

by Paul Lessane

For that last few years, Longview has sound-tracked stomach acid and empty potato chip bags with of today’s mainstream tunes. More often than not, most academic pedestrians don’t know about the wheels that actually turn the Wave.

“Yeah, most people don’t know we’re down here and think the office is upstairs or something,” said Wave DJ and ad director Kress Chambers.

The station’s evolution has persisted throughout the most trying times. Several presidents, mountains of DJs and a score of ad directors later, officers of the student organization have worked diligently to bring Longview students the most current music out there, though the eras of the playlist span the best part of 40 years. From classic James Brown to more current one hit wonders like 50 Cent, it’s all here.

“I don’t listen to the radio a lot, but I’m in the cafeteria and they play a lot of good stuff from five years ago. I’d be okay with it–it’s a step forward.” said Anna, a Longview student.

The material is primarily pop and hard rock, with R&B thrown in for good measure.

Not too long ago, Mix 93 donated a respectable 70 Lps to the Wave’s already established library. In addition to carbon copies, Wave DJs (student volunteers and officers of various organizations) have hundred of digital MP3 files at their disposal.

Listeners can always make requests, or even have songs converted into the Wave’s digital music collection.

“People request a lot of things we don’t play, but have the option to bring in a song to have it played, recorded and ultimately converted,” said Wave DJ Amanda Kontz.

by COURTNEY KUNS

Longview´s College Night , Sept. 30, 2003 (Paul Lessane/The Current)

Employment Resources
The Employment Resources office at Longview has all the information needed to transform just about anyone into a one person, career-building powerhouse. They provide assistance with resume and cover letter writing. They can also help you pump up your interviewing skills. Employment Resources has an expansive job database. Plus, they keep an updated collection of employment outlook and labor/salary information documents on file. Many of their resources are online at kcmetro.edu. The office is located in CC251 or by phone at 672-2155.

Longview Library
From books to electronic databases, Longview Library is a mecca of career and college-hunting resources. Their electronic databases, Choices and DISCOVER, provides vast information of various career fields. With DISCOVER, you can also find which colleges best match your individual educational needs. Online, they have links to similar databases and websites, like Career Information System. These bookmarks can be accessed through the library’s website at kcmetro.edu.

Counseling and Advising
Longview’s Counseling and Advising offices help individuals determine and meet their educational and career needs. Both offices can direct your educational planning – which takes the headache out of transferring. Advising has organized several articulation agreements with area colleges that can be downloaded at kcmetro.edu. Counseling also has various personal assessment tests, which may open a road never traveled before. Call to make an appointment for Advising at 672-2077 or Counseling 672-2255.

by Paul Lessane

So. What have we here? Ah, its the all important second ‘effort’ by British hairdressing favorites Black Rebel Motorcycle Club grossly entitled “Take them on, On your own”. After stressing the word effort, you’re probably thinking since most bands out there usually summon most of their creative energies the first time signature around, by the time seconds are put on the table dynamism runs about as omnipresent as a third person whore. But fear not, for lead singer Peter Hayes’ Leave-it-to Beaver studio echo has evolved from the lost alley cat whimpers of old, and while admittedly “Take them on’s “.. material does ubiquitously suffer from the idea hiatus often plaguing the after-tour material of most bands, the meat and potatoes of “Take them on” somehow manages to earn your money.

The BRMC are famous for wearing indie heroe’s The Jesus and Mary Chain’s signature fuzz-all feedback on their backs, but eventually the gimmicky use of the downtrodden 4/4 time eventually becomes monotonous and worn-out. Fans of the clever swirling guitar play of the debut will find no “Red Eyes and Tears” here , which is probably why those breastfed on singles “Whatever happened”, and “Love Burns” will find issues with a bulk of whats here. This time the bands sound’s is primarily focused on the lyrical content pushing tin : growling the same faux revolutionary anti war suggestives as their modern rock contemporaries in “US Government” and “Rise or Fall”.. No doubt providing weekend beatniks with enough supply and demand to exhaust the grandiosity of a lifetimes worth of barstool and spotlight whining sessions sound tracked to this, just to wake up in retro cynicisms’s sake and do it all againÖforever. “We don’t like you, we just wanna try you”, boasts Hayes on the first single “Stop”. Yeah, okay PeteÖbut now that you guys have actually learned to play your instruments, whats does that mean for us?

by Paul Lessane

For the families of 9-11, this album alone could soundtrack an almost unlimited number of late night infomercials by the Red Cross themselves. A lot of bands have tried applying a heal-the-world pretension through their music, in futile hopes of back-burning success by theme-working extra-credit releases under the guise of “concept albums.” But the Delgados pull off a hospitable ambiance without being decadent, overblown or greedy. Enter Hate, the fourth album from Scotland four-piece The Delgados.

Die-hard fans may recall a minor sleeper hit with the single “American Trilogy” from their previous LP, The Great Eastern, which at the time was primarily a stocking-stuffing breath of fresh air in between the cigarette and alcohol haze of Britpop’s tyranny. Though it was indeed peppered with classics here and there, the April-Fools joke Santa pulled by leaving you that three-penny lump of coal upright with the clap you got for a girlfriend didn’t make Oasis sound any better.

Suffice it to say the Delgados have crafted a magnificent work of art worthy of Dave Flaming Lip Fridman’s Twinkle Star production in orchestral storytelling vein, with 10-plus fairy tales of the melancholy persuasion. A majority of this album’s arrangements, though compelling, would not sound out of place in a period film and even come complete with an Erik Satie-esque naked piano piece dripping with schizophrenia,”Woke from Dreaming.” From the bombastic Brothers Grimm-like opener of “The Light Before We Land” to the album’s closer, “If This is a Plan,” this album is beautiful.

Hate suffers not a single moment of weakness throughout its 48-plus minute duration. Anyone rifling through life’s crap will find redempton and penitence within the lyrical delivery of alternating lead vocalists Alan Woodard and Emma Pollock. Originally released in January, the re-release offers the addition of bonus tracks “Mad Drums” and “Crutches,” both B-sides from previously released European singles.

Trust this reviewer and purchase the album, already. If you don’t, well…lets just say Santa knows where you live.